The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 4:43 am MDT (10:43 UTC)

Jackson Hole Airport to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field JAC → MSN

932 nautical miles (1,072 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 084°, about 071° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 50-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:12 am CDT (16:12 UTC). Right now JAC is VFR, wind calm; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 3 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words

Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of

  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 149 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 188 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 89 to 605 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 248 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 803 nm along the route.

A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from JAC.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • BE9L at 17,000 ft, 47 nm south, 3:42 am MDT (09:42 UTC): light rime icing from 15,000 ft to 17,000 ft, 0 °C, remarks: zdvwc. 169 nm along the route, 47 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    CPR UA /OV DDY250025/TM 0942/FL170/TP BE9L/TA 00/IC LGT RIME 150-170/RM ZDVWC
    Report
    a routine report filed through CPR
    Where
    25 nm west (250°) of DDY
    Time
    09:42 UTC
    Height
    at 17,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BE9L
    Temperature
    0 °C
    Icing
    light rime from 15,000 ft to 17,000 ft
    Remarks
    zdvwc

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed

The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 7 forecast points nearest it (LND, RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft240° at 22 kt−19 kt16 °C139 kt6 h 42 min12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC)
7,500 ft240° at 21 kt−18 kt12 °C138 kt6 h 45 min12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC)
9,500 ft240° at 23 kt−19 kt9 °C139 kt6 h 42 min12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC)
11,500 ft240° at 26 kt−22 kt5 °C142 kt6 h 34 min12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC)
13,500 ft240° at 27 kt−22 kt0 °C142 kt6 h 34 min12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC)
15,500 ft230° at 28 kt−22 kt-4 °C142 kt6 h 34 min12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC)
17,500 ft230° at 28 kt−21 kt-9 °C141 kt6 h 37 min12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 29 kt−21 kt-10 °C141 kt6 h 37 min12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 37 kt−28 kt-22 °C148 kt6 h 18 min12:01 pm CDT (17:01 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 40 kt−36 kt-34 °C156 kt5 h 58 min11:41 am CDT (16:41 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 45 kt−41 kt-37 °C161 kt5 h 47 min11:30 am CDT (16:30 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 51 kt−50 kt-46 °C170 kt5 h 29 min11:12 am CDT (16:12 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.

The forecast points as issued
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
LNDused from 0 nm out; 80 nm from the line240/10 3°240/30 0°220/42 -13°230/52 -23°220/54 -33°220/52 -36°220/53 -44°
RAPused from 198 nm out; 111 nm from the line250/28 16°260/31 10°240/25 4°210/35 -10°200/45 -23°230/47 -31°230/47 -36°230/51 -46°
PIRused from 397 nm out; 43 nm from the line230/15 15°220/22 14°220/24 6°200/32 -10°210/48 -22°240/45 -33°240/43 -37°250/55 -46°
FSDused from 545 nm out; 39 nm from the line210/20230/23 21°220/25 14°230/30 5°230/26 -9°240/30 -21°270/33 -36°260/47 -37°270/58 -47°
MCWused from 694 nm out; 46 nm from the line250/36250/24 19°240/26 11°250/30 5°270/22 -9°260/30 -21°260/31 -36°280/53 -38°280/66 -48°
LSEused from 793 nm out; 40 nm from the line250/25240/21 17°240/28 11°250/28 5°280/24 -10°280/31 -21°260/35 -37°270/45 -43°280/59 -47°
DBQused from 892 nm out; 62 nm from the line250/27260/23 17°240/26 10°260/30 4°280/26 -9°280/36 -21°270/41 -36°280/52 -41°290/67 -48°

The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
JAC Jackson, WY departure VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,800 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet Weather: light rain calm 10+ mi 3,800 ft 6,451 ft 3:56 am MDT (09:56 UTC)
DUB Dubois, WY 50 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,300 feet, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet from the west-northwest (290°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 7,298 ft 10:35 UTC
HSG Thermopolis, WY 99 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 2,700 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots 10+ mi 2,700 ft 4,891 ft 10:35 UTC
ECS Newcastle, WY 278 nm out, 1 nm east of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots 0.5 mi 200 ft 4,177 ft 10:35 UTC
RAP Rapid City, SD 337 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: light rain, fog from the east-southeast (120°) at 8 knots 0.5 mi 200 ft 3,203 ft 09:52 UTC
PHP Philip, SD 397 nm out, 9 nm north of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist from the east (080°) at 7 knots 4 mi 800 ft 2,209 ft 10:13 UTC
MHE Mitchell, SD 555 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist from the north (360°) at 9 knots 6 mi 300 ft 1,304 ft 09:53 UTC
FSD Sioux Falls, SD 605 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet from the north-northeast (020°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 1,430 ft 09:56 UTC
SBU Blue Earth, MN 724 nm out, 1 nm west of the line no report just now 1,107 ft
CJJ Cresco, IA 813 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line no report just now 1,279 ft
LNR Lone Rock, WI 892 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line VFR from the east-northeast (070°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 717 ft 09:56 UTC
MSN Madison, WI destination VFR from the south (170°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 886 ft 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,298 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:12 am CDT (16:12 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSN
  • From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for JAC, the departure
  • From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at JAC 6:43 pm MDT (00:43 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC)).

Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.

Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads

Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Jackson Hole Airport, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.